Average customer rating:
- The Celts, Wiccafied Again (Unfortunately)
- A broad but readable introduction to Celtic Wicca, but historically and mythologically inaccurate. Only recommended to Wiccans.
- New Age "Celtic" Fluff
- Great book!
- pretty decent
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Celtic Women's Spirituality: Accessing the Cauldron of Life
Edain McCoy
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
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Binding: Paperback
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Clan of the Goddess: Celtic Wisdom and Ritual for Women
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Women of the Celts
ASIN: 1567186726 |
Amazon.com
The popularity of the Celtic revival is evident by the number of books on the subject, yet an assessment of women's spirituality within this cultural tradition has remained elusive. Edain McCoy addresses this very topic and thus opens new doors for women, allowing them access to a tradition that can be easily blended into most current beliefs, including Christianity and paganism. McCoy skillfully examines the history of women in ancient Celtic society and reveals its significance to the women of today. Celtic Women's Spirituality details commonly practiced rituals such as the Celtic festivals of the year, and includes more uncommon traditions such as the soul-friend bonding known as Anamchara, and aspects of Celtic shamanism such as shape shifting. Women who have felt distanced from their spirituality should explore these traditional pathways for incorporating the power of their warrior archetypes into their 20th-century lives.
Customer Reviews:
The Celts, Wiccafied Again (Unfortunately).......2007-07-15
Yet another non-scholarly Llewelyn publication, this time by a Wiccan trying to cram all things Celtic into their system, when the two just will NEVER fit correctly. Some glaring errors;
1. Ms. McCoy asserts that the Celts had triple goddesses; the "maiden-mother-crone," but these aspects are purely Wiccan and have NO place in a discussion about the Celts. Although the Celts did have some triune deities, they were typically triple-faced & not split into the modern, Wiccan divisions that Ms. McCoy places them. Considering that this is the basis of the entire book, we can throw the book away.
2. Ms. McCoy shows the Celtic wheel of the year as identical to the Wiccan wheel of the year, but there's no evidence that the Celts celebrated Yule, Ostara OR Mabon. If anything, the glaring lack of that evidence suggests they did NOT celebrate those modern, Wiccan inventions.
3. Ms. McCoy gets into the use of the "crane bag." Again, this is a later invention, not a purely Celtic one.
4. The book is so full of meditations & made up rituals that there's very little to learn from it, unless you base your spirituality on someone else's belief system.
The author's blurb states; "Edain is also an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church." For those who don't know it, the ULC will ordain ANYONE, for free, over the internet.
The Celts believed that all things were inherently connected, all things were one. As such, Celtic systems will never fit properly in a Wiccan context, where everything is split into dualities, triplicities, quadruplicities & more.
Maybe someday Wiccans will stop trying to dilute & distort Celtic principals. Until then, far too many people are going to waste too much money on too many really bad books.
My credentials; I have been studying the Celts & Druids for at least a decade now and have been Druid of two groves.
A broad but readable introduction to Celtic Wicca, but historically and mythologically inaccurate. Only recommended to Wiccans........2006-07-27
Celtic Women's Spirituality is at best an introduction to Celtic Wicca. Without delving much into history or myth and legend, McCoy pulls out some aspects that she sees in ancient Celtic religion and connects them to aspects of mainstream Wicca. She envisions the three-faced Goddesses in Celtic mythology as the triple-goddess (virgin, mother, and crone) in Wicca, overemphasizes the female warrior in Celtic history in order to create a strong archetype for women to follow, has a number of sections about "Celtic shamanism," and provides a lengthy, somewhat arbitrary wheel of the year. The book is a broad introduction to Celtic Wicca, with a general overview of the factors that she sees as important and a sprinkling of guided meditations and rituals. What Celtic Women's Spirituality is not is an introduction to historic pre-Christian Celtic religion. Many of the factors that McCoy focuses on don't arise from Celtic myth or Celtic history, and they are heavily adapted to fit Wicca. If you are interested in "actual" Celtic religion and culture, or Celtic Reconstruction, this is not the book for you.
McCoy does her audience a disservice by not clearly separating Celtic myth and history from Wiccan aspects or showing where fact ends and her extrapolations begin. She writes as if everything she says comes directly from and applies well to Wicca, implying that aspects such as the three-fold Goddess and Celtic shamanism are authentic aspects of pre-Christian Celtic religions. However, the version of Celtic religion that McCoy presents in this book is actually highly adapted and modified to fit Wicca, sometimes picking up on similar strains, sometimes extrapolating from what was into what could be. As such, this book should be considered Celtic Wicca, not Celtic Paganism.
As a book on Celtic Wicca, McCoy writes a broad but clear introduction to the faith as she sees it. She doesn't delve into great depth but she gives an overview of a number of aspects (conceptions of self, conceptions of Goddess figures, a few rituals, a number of guided mediations, and a number of correlations between symbol/deity/meaning). The few Celtic aspects that she focuses on she translates well into a Wiccan context. The entire book is geared towards women, and encourages strength, independence, and self-association to the female deities. It is actually a rather enjoyable, self-affirming read.
That said, this book shouldn't be confused with Celtic myth, history, or pre-Christian religion. McCoy's basis in Celtic myth and history is limited at best, and all of the aspects she focuses on are highly adapted and interpolated. While she sums up the myths on a broad scale, the detail that she draws from them, as well as from Celtic society and ancient religious practice, are more opinion that fact. If your interest lies in actual Celtic Pagan religious beliefs and practices, for either academic or religious reasons, then you will have better luck reading textbooks and history books. I'd direct you towards the "Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism" religion and encourage you to skip this text--no matter how easy it is to read, it has a limited basis in history, comes highly adapted, and is misleading. Doing research on actual Celtic history and religion will take longer, but it will unearth facts rather than opinions and will provide much more depth than McCoy's text.
New Age "Celtic" Fluff.......2006-03-18
She's a good author for those who want to take a teeny side step from the Wiccan tradition, without fully departing from Wicca. All of her works have a firm foundation in Wicca and this book is no exception.
Great book!.......2005-01-03
I think that this book is a great book for any woman who feels connected with Celtic spirituality. This book gives insight on the different celtic goddesses, the triple goddess, and several other aspects. The rituals and guided meditation is great. She poses questions that will truly have you thinking about yourself as a woman. I give it five stars because I have read one of McCoy's books before and I think that this is definitely one of the best celtic books I have read.
pretty decent.......2004-04-07
I'd ordered this back on one of my deployments for something to read. Its pretty good - I enjoyed the historical aspects, but didn't have much used for the rituals as they were mainly geared towards 2 or more people. I think I'm probably still looking for more solid history, less ritual practice. But, all in all, it was a good book and will probably cover what most folk are looking for.
Book Description
Avalon Within: Inner Sovereignty and Personal Transformation Through the Avalonian Mysteries presents a practical foundation in the Avalonian Tradition, drawing upon the vibrant powers of Glastonbury's Sacred Landscape and the rich heritage of Celtic British mythology. Focusing on the Avalonian Cycle of Healing and accessing the Sacred Landscape of the Holy Isle, Avalon Within provides the seeker with powerful tools for awakening the transformational energies of Avalon in their lives -- empowering them to affect lasting inner change and to facilitate true healing.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Resource.......2007-06-21
This is a fantastic resource for those wishing to walk one of the many paths to Avalon. Meticulously researched with an ample bibliography, the author has put together a comprehensive road map for any womon who wishes to experience an Avalonian Mystery tradition. New age self-help? Hardly. Dianic Wicca? Not even close. Wicca 101? No. There's nary a spell or reference to any of the elements that traditionally make up the Wiccan path. The path Telyndru lays out is unique and quite different from many pagan paths.
In fact, I would venture to say, this is not a path for the spiritual fluffy bunny who wants all sunshine, faeries, unicorns and love spells (not that I'm saying that's what the Wiccan way is about!)...like many spiritual paths, you are urged to take an honest look at your life and see where you might make it better, as well as to celebrate the perfectly wonderful parts of your life and really own them.
Avalon Within has been an invaluable aid to me in carving out my own path to Avalon. Though I'm neither a college-aged girl or lacking in self-esteem, I've found this book to be an excellent resource, as anyone with a modicum of intelligence and discernment might.
Bendithion Afallon...
Dianic Self-help Avalon New Age fluff.......2007-06-12
This is just a self-help book for women thinly veiled in Celtic religion. For those of us who already worship the Welsh Goddesses of the Mabinogi based on the actual source itself, this will be very disappointing. The author takes the great Goddesses we honor and turns them into archetypes for our personal growth with the spiritual power stripped from them. I did Dianic Witchcraft in the early 80s - Z Budapest certainly has more to offer women as far as sisterhood and women's mysteries go than this junk. The assumption that Avalon is Glastonbury always ruffled my feathers because I believe it an Otherworldly place, but the author here expects us to believe that there was a sisterhood of Druid-like women living in Glastonbury in an ancient feminist commune. I really wanted this to give me new historical information I didn't have about Celtic/Briton priestesses and their ways, a real Welsh women's mysteries study, or ways for me to pathwork with the Goddesses and priestesses we know about, but this really was like a Wicca 101 book mixed with self-pride exercises, sadly for women only. The author also hits the reader over the head repeatedly with the belief that self growth is never finished and is a hard, painful journey, which any smart person already knows, ALONG with the blissful joy of breakthroughs, of which she barely mentions. I need to find some college student girl with low self esteem just getting into Paganism to give this to and then hope she doesn't think the religion is just a self-help kick instead of a meaningful, beautiful relationship with Nature, Deities, etc. If you really want to learn - and have powerful meditations - about the women of Avalon, get Caitlin Matthew's Ladies of the Lake.
avalonian mystery.......2007-05-16
quick arrival, excellent condition and a read and detailed read with many meditations practices within.
Fascinating.......2007-04-19
I have read and re-read this book several times. It is packed full of incredible details, imagery and scholarship. Each time I read it, I learn something new. Ms. Telyndru gives practical lessons in learning about Avalon and the Island's Five Goddesses. This book will guide you on a path of internal magic and transformation.
I highly recommend it!
Finally, a book that helps you look within!.......2006-04-18
I like how the author of "Avalon Within" makes a connection with women cycles, earth cycles, nature cylces, etc. The other thing I like is how she presents each aspect of her tradition with not only legend and myth background, but also substance and historical facts, so that it is up to the reader to see for themselves what to believe in. She also references other books on certain topics for further reading. After reading "Avalon Within," I learned that in the Celtic Welsh tradition, they believed in 5 goddesses and that one could apply the goddesses to yourself, by having each one represent a certain aspect of the "whole" you. This is MY interpretation of the goddesses. Because of these analogies and interesting points of view, I was attracted to the book and Avalon tradition. It's just another way of helping women improve themselves, feel more confident about themselves, and become a better all-round person. The book takes you on a journey to look "within" and see what aspects of yourself you would like to change for the better: Do you want to be a better - healer, lover, mother, nurturer, etc. and what do you need to do to become this person? I enjoyed this book :)
Customer Reviews:
The Celts, Wiccafied Again.......2007-07-24
Merely more Wiccafied Llewellyn claptrap. Predominantly Welsh mythology, twisted & forced into un-natural Wiccan shapes. Modern traditional sexism. Authors do not appear to understand the subtleties of ancient Welsh mythology. Avoid if you're looking for Celtic info. A better book that combines Jungian archetypes & Welsh mythology is "A Celtic Quest," by John Layard.
A must read for every woman!!.......2005-06-02
I have read and reread this book so many times. I have given this book to several female friends and think every woman should read it. So much of what society tells woman condrodicts our own deep instincts and beliefs. This book is a great way for women of and faith, race or age to come to know and understand themselves.
The search for the Divine Child...........2002-11-04
Every now and then I read an out-of-print book and wonder why it's out-of-print. The SILVER WHEEL by Marguerite Elsbeth and Kenneth Johnson is just such a book. I can't believe the content of SW is so esoteric most women won't understand it. Maybe it didn't get enough publicity when it was released to keep it in print or maybe those "really important" critics writing for mainstream news organizations ignored it thinking it was some kind of new age arcane book at best or "silly" feminist stuff at worst. If you read Marion Zimmer Bradley's THE MISTS OF AVALON, or if you're fascinated with Joseph Campbell's works, or if you consider yourself a fan of Jung, or if you are working a 12-step program, or all or none of the above, but are fascinated with the relevance of mythology for our "modern" age don't miss this book.
The authors, provide a test in the early pages (similar to the Myers-Briggs personality test) to help a woman determine her location in the process of finding the self (growing self awareness). Unlike the MB, however (which is often misused), this test does not pigeonhole you into a type, but rather helps you get in touch with your current phase of development.
Elsbeth and Johnson present a paradigm consisting of four phases: Queen, Sorceress, Woman Warrior, Lover. During the course of her lifetime, a woman experiences each of these aspects but not all women experience all aspects in the same order, with one exception, the Sorceress is the final phase. Although she experiences the phases of growth at different times in her life, one facet will be more dominant than the others at each point through life. You can probably work out the order of dominance for your own life. Perhaps you became a Queen (mother), divorced and became a Lover, then became single again and a Warrior Woman who earned her daily bread and protected her kids.
The end game of every life is to become the Sorceress (the male equivalent is the Shaman). Sooner or later, you will become a Sorceress because you are going to die. Only the Sorceress, Shamaness, or Saint, is capable of a mystical union with a higher self.
The authors make connections between the Celtic world view and the views of Zen Buddists, American Indians (North and South), the Kabbala, and other Indo-European mystical practices. The metaphors and myths of the Mabinogion presented by Elsbeth and Johnson can work to heal your life. I found many similarities between SW and ANATOMY OF THE SPIRIT by Caroline Myss, and I liked the SW much better. If you are pursuing the path of healing knowledge, this book can provide you with wonderful insights.
Find the missing pieces.......2001-07-12
This is a book for every woman who feels that part of her soul has been lost in the tribulations of life. For every woman who seeks a significant other to "complete" her, for every woman who feels the need to live vicariously through her children, and for every woman who feels like she is "asleep" as she goes about her daily life, PLEASE read this book.
Following the myth of Rhiannon as an outline, Elsbeth and Johnson lead the reader through a story of a woman coming into her power. Every woman has felt that she was forced to give up some precious part of herself at some point; that feeling of incompleteness can simmer and seethe, leading to depression, neurosis, or violence when she finally "snaps". Or, the woman can look deep within herself, face some tough questions, and come to realize that her "self" was never lost at all, and can be awakened through meditation and dreams. The meditations presented here are useful, but simply reading the text _without_ doing any of the meditations can be invaluable. This is a book of empowerment. Read it, and realize that you are complete in yourself--and in your new-found self-esteem, you won't need anyone else to complete you. And when you don't _need_ others, then you are truly free to _love_ them as people.
The use of the Celtic myths as a metaphor for the journey will draw in a crowd of mainly Pagan women, but any woman can benefit from this book. Read it, and find your power.
Amazing!.......2001-01-08
Got this for Christmas and I can't believe how good it is. I've been studying these Welsh myths for awhile (they are from the medieval collection of myths called The Mabinogion) and I must confess I've always been confused by them. But Arianrhod (SilverWheel) is my Lady so I've read and re-read the Mabinogian and scoured the bookstores trying to find out more about her and the other goddesses I love: Blodeuwedd, Cerridwen, Rhiannon, and Branwen. And then I get this book! I'm still gasping at how great it is. (BTW, though the emphasis is on the Welsh myths, Irish goddesses are included, too.)
The authors carefully take each myth about these goddesses (and several others) and explore the psychology behind them, helping you to understand each myth as a primal archetype within yourself. NOTE: It's not a history book that digs up more information about these confusing myths -- in other words, it doesn't say, "Arianrhod's myth as written in the Mabinogian is corrupt; here is the real myth from earlier sources." It deals with the Mabinogion straight on, with all its' twists and turns. But by sticking with the story as we have it and delving deeply into those archetypes, the authors give us amazing insights into the myths. This book allows us to experience the myths in a new way, not only by studying each myth indepth and applying it to our life-patterns, but by giving excellent meditations and exercises that take us on an actual journey. You discover things about yourself, and the myths become a part of you. I'm probably going to be working with this book for several years. Get this book if you want to learn more about Welsh myth, or if you want to do some very intense soul-work. You'll be a changed person!
Customer Reviews:
Good book -.......2006-06-22
It was a christian read, but one who is not christian such as myself got a good bit out of it- I've recommended it to my female friends, and they love it too. Good book!
Scottish Tradition: the Real Thing, not New Age Fluff.......2002-01-24
There are many books available today claiming to present "real" Celtic tradition. Few of them actually do what they claim. In this volume, Noragh Jones actually presents authentic Scottish tradition, partially culled from the Carmina Gadelica, but supplemented by her own experiences of living in Scotland. Her focus is on rural women's lives and they way their spirituality flowed from a mindset that saw the spiritual in the everyday. Put this together with Mary Low's _Celtic Christianity and Nature_ and Mary Beith's _Healing Threads_ and you will have a very good idea of how women have lived and found meaning in their lives in rural Scotland.
A Woman's Work.......2001-10-30
When we think of woman's role in society, we tend to think that there is a choice between private life and public, between the home and the business world. Choosing home, we believe, leads to isolation and boredom, and feeling trapped within the world of housekeeping. (think The Feminine Mystique). Choosing career means personal fulfillment but often loneliness. And most women, out of necessity, juggle both, a formidable workload. Noragh Jones presents us with a different worldview here, one where the community it so tight-knit that "hearth-keeping" is both a private and a public lifestyle, and in which domestic work is sacred rather than drudgery. In "Power of Raven, Wisdom of Serpent", Jones has picked out the chants and prayers from the Carmina Gadelica that are most closely related to women's lives, and shows how they enriched the farm women's daily routine with a numinous holiness. Here are prayers to be said for every task done, as well as love poems, healing lore, and rites of passage. I found the last to be the most interesting; there are folk christening rites that blend the pagan and Christian; wedding songs, prayers for the child leaving home, and funeral laments. I don't know if I could have handled the sheer amount of work these farming women did. They worked hard and endlessly, but every moment was filled with meaning. Jones brings to life the essence of Celtic Christianity--that God is not only "up there", but present in every ordinary moment.
An excellent work on Scottish women's lore........1997-05-02
This book deatils the women's lore of Scotland, and gives insight into the merging of Pagan and Chrsitian traditions. Excerpts from the Carmina Gadelica help to highlight various points which are made throughout this work. I highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to study the folklore of Scotland
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The Quest for the Nine Maidens
Stuart McHardy
Manufacturer: Luath Press Limited
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Similar Items:
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Avalon Within: Inner Sovereignty and Personal Transformation Through the Avalonian Mysteries
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Glastonbury
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An Ancient Muse
ASIN: 0946487669 |
Book Description
The Nine Maidens -- priestesses of the ancient Mother Goddess religion. For 25 years Stuart McHardy has been tracking the enigmatic Nine Maidens group to mountaintops and Dark Age citadels, artificial islands, and lonely wells. He has traced a network of pagan priestess groups across the Celtic, Germanic, romance, and Classical societies of Europe with striking evidence for fertility rites and possible sacrifice. In a non-traditional (i.e. non-militaristic, -aristocratic, and -male) interpretation of history using oral and informal written sources, McHardy demonstrates how the nine maidens lived on -- through the Christian era -- in ritual and belief.
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable.......2007-03-01
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because McHardy found his maidens in the West (Europe, et al) and the Siberian shamans have their nine maidens too; I suppose his plate was full and he wanted to get his book into print but tying the two together would have made a better book-maybe he can write a sequel. There, I just dumped a load of work in his lap-sorry Stuart.
Book Description
Like the early Celtic Clan Mothers, who encouraged women to be confident and spunky, this book helps women to believe in the feminine divine within their souls. With irrepressible humor and delightful flair, the author illustrates the basic principles of Goddess teachings so readers can develop steadfast faith in their personal power and use these newfound skills to enrich their lives. Weaving a rich tapestry of authentic Celtic wisdom with the brilliant-colored threads of today's result-oriented visualization and motivational techniques, this book raises awareness while accelerating the spiritual experience. It takes the reader on a fulfilling journey of personal transformation and invites her find her power base--her magick, to unburden and improve the health of her soul; and reduce the damaging influence of past sorrows so the Goddess within can fulfill her heartfelt dreams and ambitions.
Customer Reviews:
Something's a-miss in Review Land.......2004-06-23
I've got to say after reading this book that the several "Gushing, Glowing" reviews must have been seeded by C.C.'s chums, because this is no a five-star book, not even a three or four star book in my opinion. I've been reading this genre (New Age/Celtic) for twenty years, and with few other exceptions, I found this book to be a fanciful, useless mish-mosh of all sorts of kooky suggestions and "psuedo-Celtic Factoids." C.C. is obviously a fun-loving jokester who's taken a little Celtic, Native American, Wiccan, and New Age thought and rewritten it into the fantasy world of Clan of the Goddess to make a few bucks. There are much better books than this on the market that more historically accurate (or at least believable) and with much better suggested rituals. Don't waste your time or money -- seek out well-known, respected authors who write on the topic(s) covered here and do yourself the favor of missing this book completely. My copy is now on its way to my local thrift store, since it's not even worth the shelf space and occasional dusting required to keep it.
Disappointing.......2004-04-26
I purchased this book sight unseen based on the glowing reviews on Amazon. Once I received the book, was very disappointed and returned it. I've been doing goddess-oriented work for over 30 years and have read and published reviews of many books in this genre. While the writer is sincere, most of the time the book seems to be addressed to a five-year old. Lots of gushy, pep-talk writing. For the very very beginner, if anyone.
A 'must have' in my library.......2003-05-25
I have been doing spiritual counseling for 30 years and have a trunk full of techniques I use for myself and others. This book gave me a new technique for communicating to spirit which is now one of my very favorites for myself and also in my practice. I am recommending the Clan of the Goddess to all the new-to-spiritual-growth people I come across and also to the many friends I have who have done spiritual work for years. This book is a 'must have' in my library. Clan of the Goddess triggered some really old past life Celtic memories. All the rituals are to be done in a fun way with easy to obtain stuff, like the candles and music and herbs. The writer speaks to me with an easy and casual manner as if we have been friends forever.
The Best Book That I Own!!.......2003-05-07
The Clan of The Goddess is a book that I will keep and re-read over the years. I am only in the second chapter and am amazed at the changes already taking place in my life. This book has taught me to focus on the joy in my life and has shown me how many times my life has been touched & blessed by the Goddess!!
This book would be great for study groups, men or women. If you don't buy any other book this season, buy The Clan of The Goddess, you will truly be blessed by it!!
Clear, Gentle and Strengthening.......2003-05-06
Not everyone that wanders into the 'alternative religion' section of the bookstore is a lost soul seeking "home", however, many are. Should they stumble upon this book at the beginning of their journey they will count themselves doubly blessed. I have read and re-read this countless times. I have given it to my friends as gifts no matter what their religious beliefs. Brondwin speaks to the reader as an understanding friend and leads the reader through a self-strengthening journey. There are many exercises, rituals and explanations within the book's cover. Each one is worth the price of the book but together they can bring the reader a journey into her inner-self that is priceless. This is a book every female should read at least one!
Book Description
"The ancient Celts capture the modern imagination as do few other people of classical times. Naked barbarians charging the Roman legions, Druids performing sacrifices of unspeakable horror, women fighting beside their men and even leading armies--these, along with stunning works of art, are the images most of us call to mind when we think of the Celts," observes Philip Freeman. "And for the most part, these images are firmly based in the descriptions handed down to us by the Greek and Roman writers." This book draws on the firsthand observations and early accounts of classical writers to piece together a detailed portrait of the ancient Celtic peoples of Europe and the British Isles. Philip Freeman groups the selections (ranging from short statements to longer treatises) by themes--war, feasting, poetry, religion, women, and the Western Isles. He also presents inscriptions written by the ancient Celts themselves. This wealth of material, introduced and translated by Freeman to be especially accessible to students and general readers, makes this book essential reading for everyone fascinated by the ancient Celts.
Customer Reviews:
A great source for Celtic history.......2004-01-28
Has all the major ancient sources on the Celts translated into easily readable English.
Book Description
Historian Markale takes us deep into a mythical world where both man and woman become whole by realizing the feminine principle in its entirety. The author explores the rich heritage of Celtic women in history, myth, and ritual, showing how these traditions compare to modern attitudes toward women.
Customer Reviews:
The ancient Celt Women come out of the mists .......2005-04-27
In his study, Jean Markale did not give us here the usual accepted history, which makes the past suitable to our present by representing it in the male dominated perspective of our society, nor in the light of a judeo-christian ideology. The ancient Celtic culture is one of the few "natural" societies in which women and men had balanced statuses. Like in the ancient Sarmatian culture, Celtic women could be warriors,chieftains even, as so many tombs of both societies revealed. The ancient Goddess, the female Divine, was gradually pushed aside by the male gods, and eventually eliminated with the spread of the foreign christian religion. Yet, even in the medieval times, reminiscence of the women as they were in ancient times, are to be found in folk lores, in literature [think of the role of the women in the Arthurian cycle], and in paintings.
It's on this highly interesting journey that Jean Markale's book will take you. Be ready to walk off the beaten path. Be ready to meet the different and the radical "other", and to read this book that, unlike so many others, never gives in to ethnocentrism nor "gender centrism" for that matter (Jean Markale is a male scholar). You will learn about the women of the Celts, and whehther man or woman, you may learn a little bit more about who you are... or are not. [Note: I read the book in its original French version.}
Historically Inaccurate.......2004-06-02
Jean Markale is notorious around the Celtic Studies community for all of the historical inaccuracies and seemingly 'historical inventions' present in these books. I recommend instead that you look into "the Celts" by Barry Cunliffe or anything by Peter Bressford Ellis.
thought provoking!.......2002-04-11
Markale gives you an excellent study of women in Celtic society, a comparitive study of female Celts in mythology and asks a lot of intriquing questions. Very easy reading, and full of interesting details. Very well researched.
Highly recommend.
Celtic myth meets social theory.......2001-07-07
This book was a surprise to me--I expected a book of mythology, and instead it was a book of psychological, sociological, and philosophical theory with Celtic mythological overtones. Its structure reminded me of Simone de Beauvoir's _The Second Sex_, a book which Markale quotes often. _Women of the Celts_ begins with a historical discourse on the role of women in ancient Celtic society, and then studies myths centered around female characters in a search for subconscious attitudes about women. Reading _The Second Sex_ may be helpful to understanding _Women of the Celts_; having read De Beauvoir's book first gives the reader a sense of "OK, I know where this is going."
Markale discusses the role of women in the various Celtic societies without generalizing or idealizing; he spends many pages on each of the Celtic lands, and focuses on specific legal codes that concerned women's rights and limitations. His studies reveal a people caught somewhere between equality and sexism; women still held nearly equal rights with men but were losing ground.
He then launches into several chapters of comparative mythology, seeking common archetypes that can be found in many Celtic stories, such as "The Submerged Princess", "The Great Queen", "Our Lady of the Night", "The Rebellion of the Flower-Daughter", and "The Lady of the Orchard." He draws parallels between the various stories and looks for the psychological undertones. The conclusion he finally draws is that men both desire and fear a deep union with a woman; and that this union leads to a true understanding of what is truly important in life. When a person is truly in love, the workaday world loses the meaning it formerly held.
In the third section of the book, Markale outlines his new vision for a more sexually equal society, based on some of the ideas held by the ancient Celts. His theory would take too long to explain here, but it is interesting and thought-provoking.
I give this book four stars for its scholarship, the interesting nature of the Celtic stories, and for the very thought-provoking social theories suggested at the end. I have only two gripes. (1)Markale can get very long-winded and "high-falutin" at times, leaving the reader wondering, "Where is he going with this?" (2)I think Markale may be overgenerous in his application of Freudian "Oedipal complex" theory. After a while, the reader also wonders, "Can every last Celtic myth really be about man's desire for sexual union with his mother?" But, in the end, the focus is not on incest, but on the union-in-love that returns the lover to a state of bliss and understanding.
One of the best books on Celtic History and gender issues.......1997-08-30
I highly reccomend this book to anyone interested in Celtic History, gender issues, or feminism. The work is factually accurate and detailed (highly unusual for this newly popluar field) AS WELL AS entertaining and readable. For the Celtic enthusiast, I also reccomend Markale's other books..whether you are just beginning your journey to know the Celts or know a great deal on the subject, his books are excellent! ENJOY!!!!
Book Description
In Celtic myth, the mixture of wise spiritual teaching and dramatic imagery creates new, potent, and disturbing visions. This selection of eleven stories?some more than 3,000 years old?focuses on the women of ancient British mythology, from the formidable women warriors who trained heros to fight and kill to the beautiful companions who led them to higher realms of feminine intuition and spiritual wisdom. Caldecott goes beyond a mere recounting of female strength, providing lucid personal commentary that illuminates the complete myth and the culture from which it springs. These powerful stories transmit a recognition of the mystery of being and an understanding of the powerful magic of inner transformation.
Customer Reviews:
What in blazes does Freud have to do with the ancient Celts?.......2002-02-08
Four stars for the actual stories in Moyra Caldecott's collection, _Women in Celtic Myth_. But then I always like a good retelling. I was particularly impressed with "Findabair and Maeve", since the story of Queen Maeve's daughter is obscure. Ditto for the two Scottish folk tales, "The Sea-Maiden" and "The Farmer's Youngest Daughter."
Read it for the stories, SKIP the psychological and/or mystical theory that follows each one. It is completely obnoxious and off-base. The example that really sticks out in my mind is the analysis of Maeve and Aillill as the animal passions and the thinking mind, respectively. Huh? Maeve drinks and fights and has sex, so she represents the id? I don't buy it. Maeve drinks and fights and has sex because the Irish likes stories about people who did those things. Or, if you're determined to read a deep meaning into the myth, at least come up with one that's germane to the culture. If you want to tell me that Maeve's behavior indicates a sovereignty figure, I'll listen. If you want to tell me her myth is a Freudian text written long before its time, I'll just groan and skip ahead to the next tale. This book would have been much better if the modern psychological theory could have been left out.
A wonderful introduction to Celtic goddess devotion.......2001-04-08
I read this book a number of years ago, and I still love it. Each goddess is given a new myth, based in the old, and written from a new, feminist perspective. If you are into Celtic spirituality at all, I highly recommend this book. If you are a student of Celtic mythology, I also recommend this book, for the different perspective it will give you. It is an easy read, and great introduction to the central goddesses in Celtic mythology.
Great stories.......2001-01-16
This book takes each of the Celtic goddesses (Irish, Welsh, and Scottish) and devotes a little fictional short story to her. Chapters include "Arianrhod and Bledouwedd," "The Three Etains," and "Emer and the Women Who Loved Cu Chulaind," as well as chapters (or stories) on Maeve, the Morrigan, Grania, Macha, and many others. The stories are based on elements of the actual myth, but because they are new short stories crafted by the author they flow smoothly and are so interesting you can't put the book down.. I have found that learning about the myths this way has helped me to understand them much better. Caldecott also has a good introduction discussing the Celts and their myths, and a commentary after each story with added info about each myth and listing her sources for further reading.
This is a great read!.......2000-05-29
Ms. Caldecott offers interesting history on the Celts in her introduction and also offers insightful interpretations and analysis of Celtic mythological tales after retelling these great stories from the point of view of the main female characters. A great book -- I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the genre.
Book Description
Ireland: land of rambles, burning peat, dark beer, misdirection, lilting speech, enchanting melodies, green hills, ruddy faces, and goddesses. Goddesses? In Ireland? Like many Irish Americans before her, Pat Monaghan traveled to Ireland for the first time as an adult, seeking her roots. What she found was much more than her physical ancestors. She found spiritual forebears in the legends and landmarks of spirited women: witches, hags, wanton girls, mothers. This book is the story of her journeys, and the story of the journeys the legends have made through time.
Customer Reviews:
Don't judge book by title: symbiotic pagan-Christian excavations.......2005-11-19
Believe me, I approached this book with plenty of misgivings, given the title and the promotional hints. I do not know how much is savvy marketing--the more academic side of Monaghan's here put forth, as opposed to her being the author of "Wild Women," or the one subtitled "myth, marigolds, and mulches". Her eponymous web domain seems to have faded, but looking for information about her as I was reading this, she is noted as a leading popularizer of the Goddess and the reconstructed rituals that rejoin (as in the root of "re-ligion") people to nature. This insistence likewise permeates this book.
It's carefully written. I usually "heard" her voice on the page, and as she notes in an aside, I assume that much of what she shares was freshly conveyed in a daily notebook on her travels and through her studies, and then expanded and mulled over much further before coming to print here. I admire Monaghan's determination to excavate using etymology. With a solid grounding in Irish as well as a rare combination of scientific training, her ecologically aware, if persistently soft-focused, depictions of the intermingling of the spiritual, the eccelesiastical, the historical, and the anecdotal make for quite an ambitious product belying the quick title-and-cover glance that casual prospects might give to this if in a New Age bookstore's "Celtic & Druidery" section. More power to her and her readers--they'll pick up more learning and not only lore than they may have bargained for. But you have to put up with, or become enchanted by, visions of she and her pals declaiming Yeats to the wind.
She eschews footnotes but acknowledges any idea or source not her own, and an annotated booklist and source locator appends the book. (Errata: Lughnasa appears also as Lehynasa on p. 273; Kevin Danaher's book was not printed by Cork's Mercier Press in 1922 but 1972--otherwise I found no glaring errors or typos, impressively.) Honestly, New Age is not the first shelf I turn to when seeking books of Irish interest, but you need to be as eclectic and alert as is Monaghan when searching for elusive traces backwards into the "symbiosis" that she posits exists between Christianity and paganism in Ireland, over more than 1500 years.
Other reviews have been more impressionistic, but let me give you a quick view of what in Irish is called "dindsenchas," as Frank MacEowen in his blurb calls "place-bonding stories," that tie toponymy to theology, ecology, and psychology in Monaghan's circuit sun-wise around the island. Beginning in the West, at Gort in Co Clare, she ties her Burren travels to the Hag, or "cailleach." Then she goes to Connemara for the "red-haired girl" and fairies--who are not Disneyfied delightful sprites. Up to Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon on the trail of Medb (Maeve) and the Morrigan, amidst Cruachan, Knocknarea, and holy wells. Then northerly for Emain Macha and Newgrange, with her own theories about a feminized Sun and the Irish ritual landscape thoughtfully told.
A chapter inevitably a bit apart relates her own struggle with the North, and her self-awareness of being seen as the Other. It's clumsier and more self-consciously told, but more direct and reality-based. She confronts her own resentments of those she perceives as eying her differently. It's a bold departure from the rest of the book, and she does not shy away from reality. She cannot offer any new insights, and she probably knows this, but her encounter with her darker side balances her cheerful nature throughout the rest of her travelogue.
I think her musings here about rapacious and/or romantic Viking ancestors accounting for her blue eyes went a bit overboard, and I don't doubt that Monaghan might agree and/or battle me into giving in to her determination to include her reveries--she's that kind of fair-minded investigator--but at least she does not back down from the strength or the fancy of her convictions. This is the model she admires and seeks to project into the Irish past as well as to gain sustenance from the faint but stubbornly grooved and cyclical tracks of its past power for our present. I did wonder at times why [feeling as I read a bit left out; compare neo-paganism, itself about 70% female practitioners] so few men compared to so many women sought to resurrect and rekindle its meanings and symbols, but the feminine-dominated powers, as she argues, gain the prominence even in the old tales and placenames more than males. As in Ireland-Eriu (the latter meaning "fertile field," a rare point she does not explicitly define here for herself.
Monaghan tends to follow her instinct wherever it leads. She does not avoid the scholarly, but never lets it crush her soul. She has found a much more gentle and inspirational (in the root sense) sacralized landscape than I have encountered in Ireland. She has the advantage that many Irish Americans do not of direct connections and still-connected cousins due to more recent immigration in her family. This allows her more of a base from which to leap out across what she views ahead of her, intellectually, spiritually, and physically, This is a bold attempt to confront what always stoked my own thoughts: how far beneath today's Irish psyche and habits and mentality do you have to scratch before the pagan emerges?
Helped by her ability to navigate pop culture, dictionaries, her own widespread support network of family and friends, and her inbred wanderlust from her being raised in Alaska, she brings her pagan and her Christian sides together most evidently in the visit to the unprepossessing exterior of the relit pagan fire for Brigit in Kildare. This joins the two realms in which she and so many Irish, according to her study, wander. Then, down to the sacralized cow, Tara, and the central Uisneach hill for fire ceremonies and Bealtaine. The scholarship dragged a bit more than elsewhere, but coupled with a moving meditation on the death of her friend Barbara, this makes for an honest encounter again with mortality. She points out that it's not the inevitability of death we fear, but its timing.
Finally, she rounds out the tour in Kerry. She did not to connect Mis with Austin Clarke's 1970 poem "The Healing of Mis," or cite Emmet Larkin's 1970s model of the devotional revolution of the later 19c that transformed Ireland into the 20c stereotype of a priest-ridden backwater by extirpating many remnants of its folk beliefs, but her thoughts on the pagan sexuality nearly extinguished by a post-Famine Church make for convincing speculation. Danu's "paps" and how its worshippers erected atop her nipples as stone cairns above a gentle-breasted hilled landscape make for a perspective that, as she asserts, only a woman as herself noticed after so many male-dominated studies never had--or at least demurred from recording! In the wrap-up chapter, she and a friend go in search of first-hand folkloric recovery of their own sacred place, Garravogue near the Cavan border. They circle back and extend the circle into a spiral, fittingly, as they revolve around Ireland's own places made holy.
Now, Monaghan has commonsense, more than some who have written about her book credit her with in my judgment as this Connacht-blooded Irish comments to/of another, her family from a point about equidistant from my two family origins only a few miles. By the way, her comments about the inevitable assurance from the locals of "only a mile more" and "sure you can't miss it" ring true for any stranger in search of rural landmarks, ruins, or simply the right road. She remarks on the county-town-parish-townland (she calls the last "farm") narrowing that Irish engage each other with when first nosing about the other's bonafides correctly, as I am of her now. This type of sensible observation, I hazard, makes her more observant and less beguiled by what she ponders in the more ethereal and filtered views she frames--and to be fair she mentions the rain and mud too when they often appear. I learned a lot from her, found that she often stayed one step ahead of me on her associations with the literary and historical and mythic resonances from what she traversed to keep me nimble, and that she wrote sensitively (if a bit too purple-prosed in parts, although these were helpfully often italicized) about her own heartfelt recoveries with the tangible traces of ideas and events long thought intangible.
Skeptics, rationalists, and unbelievers would hate this book, but I prefer, as she does, to think that few actually deny all hope of some presence outlasting our own. This book, challenging in many parts and not all that wince-making in others (these sections are relatively few to her credit), will teach any seeker a lot about facts as well as fable. Monaghan digs into the former to find the latter, and vice versa.
P.S. A book only published in Ireland, the similarly unfortunately titled "Emerald Spirit," (Cork: Mercier Press, 2003) by another American, David P Stang, makes a wonderful counterpart. John Moriarty's mythopoeic and densely argued work may be too recondite for many, but also may please readers of Monaghan; Clare seanachie Eddie Lenihan's penetrating look into faerie lore and fact, "Meeting with the Other Side," also is highly recommended if you want more about the play and peril between our realm and that elusive presence still said to swirl about the Irish countryside. Mapped well recently also by Cary Meehan in her "Traveller's Guide to Sacred Ireland."
A Masterpiece!.......2004-03-25
Some books have a life of their own and cannot be ignored. Long after you finished reading the last page, something about the book will return to you; an image or perhaps a phrase; possibly an entire sequence will be recalled in solitude. Words, like music, have a resonance that lasts long after the initial encounter. Such a book is Patricia Monaghan's The Red Haired Girl from the Bog.
As a travel memoir, it is splendid; as a history book it is marvelous. But on a deeper level it is a magnificent essay, at once lyrical and moving. This book has resonance and because of its quality I know I will return to it again. Celtic myths, fairy woman, mystical places that speak to visitors, fog-shrouded landscapes that are so much more than they appear, sunlit fields and the voices of poets calling from the past. Monaghan's journey is captivating, compelling, and like all good stories, just a shade frightening. Exploring the Celtic myths and legends, interspersed with narratives about her many trips to Ireland, I found myself unable to set the book aside. Her book has that rare quality of taking the reader along for the trip, an accomplishment that only the best writers can manage. This book is subtitled "The Landscape of Celtic Myth and Spirit" and I cannot think of a better, concise description of what you will find in its 295 magical pages. A toast then, to Patricia Monaghan, and may the Muse never leave her side.
a true gem.......2004-02-03
This is a book for fans of Ireland, the Goddess, Pagans, Christians, and mythology. I highly recommend it.
A US author of Irish descent, Patricia tells of visits to Ireland over the years. She writes about searching for locations from Irish myth, such as entering faeryland and visiting the source of the Shannon looking for the salmon of wisdom. She also describes visiting different sacred sites at auspicious times, such as: lighting the Beltaine fires at Uisneach, the Mountains of the Cailleach and the Paps of Anu on different Lughnasadhs, Morrigan's cave on Samhain, Newgrange for winter solstice, and County Kildare for Imbolc.
She explores Irish culture and politics, always coming back the the land and the people. Her description of re-lighting the Sacred Flame of Brigit at Kildare gives me chills every time I read it. Patricia says this book came out of requests from friends for travel recommendations in Ireland. It has certainly made me want to take the trip even more.
Step into the visuals.......2003-07-11
Ms Monaghan is not only an author, but also a poet and utilizes that skill within this book. While I wished to turn page to find what she might describe next; I, also, wished each page unending. Almost as if I felt I might loose the descriptions I'd just read if I moved forward.
Rarely does a book touch me so.
Could be I'm Irish? That helped I'm sure to entice me with stories and details, but the messages within the book were priceless to me.
Her vivid story telling of Ireland, Celtic myths, Catholic practices and a rather mindful blending of the Pagan/Catholic or Protestant viewpoints in Ireland were incredible. How delightful to read about various customs and practices being combined so utterly!
The descriptions of rituals..even small and discreet and of sacred caves, etc would give anyone a valuable viewpoint on Celtic folk lore.Diverse in delivery, Ms Monaghan can describe something as small as a puddle with such essence and clarity that you feel you've stepped in one right along beside her!
She even manages to tackle the subject of fairies in such a way that is imaginative, steeped in lore, fantastic while also being modern, comprehensive and understandable. For the first time - ever - I read about fairies and didn't raise an eyebrow thinking the author must be sipping mugwort tincture.
It's a down-to-earth-style bejeweled with imagery and poetry to enrich the spirit and feed the soul. Her friends and new folks she meets in her travels are witty and fun, enticing and intelligent.
So if Celtic lore in Ireland, a blending of Pagan/Catholic/Protestant ideals and unforgettable mental pictures are to your liking...read
The Red-Haired Girl From The Bog.
Allow yourself the pure luxury of settling deep within the imagery and wisdom of this book. The lessons therein are subtle but exquisite indeed!
Enjoy...
A thoughtful and deeply reverent viewpoint.......2003-05-15
The Red-Haired Girl From The Bog: The Landscape Of Celtic Myth And Spirit by Celtic history expert Patricia Monaghan is a spiritual voyage through the countryside of Ireland, exploring the intermeshing aspects of folklore, goddess worship, Celtic ceremony, and Christian faith. A thoughtful and deeply reverent viewpoint of a land steeped in tradition and lore, The Red-Haired Girl From The Bog is especially recommended for Celtic Mythology and Irish History reference collections and reading lists.
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